Christmas and Advent Symbols

Twelve Days of Christmas

• During the early times of Christianity, when Christians were persecuted, this song was used as a means of teaching the catechism to children. Each phrase means the following…

Twelve Days of ChristmasGodThe ChristianJesusThe old and new testamentsFaith, hope and loveThe four gospelsThe first five books of the BibleThe six days of creationThe seven gifts of the Holy SpiritThe beatitudesThe nine fruits of the Holy SpiritThe ten commandmentsThe eleven faithful disciplesThe twelve points of the apostle creed

My true loveMePartridge in a pear treeTwo Turtle DovesThree French hensFour calling birdsFive gold ringsSix geese a-layingSeven swans a-swimmingEight maids a-milkingNine ladies dancingTen lords a-leapingEleven pipers pipingTwelve drummers drumming

Mistletoe

When Christianity became widespread in Europe after the 3rd century AD, the religious or mystical respect for the mistletoe plant was integrated to an extent into the new religion. In some way that is not presently understood, this may have led to the widespread custom of kissing under the mistletoe plant during the Christmas season. The earliest documented case of kissing under the mistletoe dates from 16th century England, a custom that was apparently very popular at that time.It was a Cornish tradition that mistletoe was originally a fine tree from which the wood of the cross was made, but afterwards it was been condemned to live on only as a parasite.According to custom, the mistletoe must not touch the ground between its cutting and its removal as the last of Christmas greens at Candlemas it may remain hanging through the year, often to preserve the house from lightning or fire, until it is replaced the following Christmas Eve. The tradition has spread throughout the English-speaking world but is largely unknown in the rest of Europe.

Wreaths

• Advent– The wreath symbolizes the

eternity of our souls and of God.

– The purple candles signify penitence, reminding us that Advent is a time of readying ourselves for the second coming of Christ.

– The rose candle is for Gaudete Sunday, a time for rejoicing.

• Christmas • The circle of the wreath, which has no

beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found in Christ. Any pine cones, nuts, or seedpods used to decorate the wreath also symbolize life and resurrection. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who entered our world becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death through His own passion, death, and resurrection.

Manger Scene• Saint Francis of Assisi is

credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223 (a "living" one) wanting to promote the worship of Christ, having been inspired by his recent visit to the Holy Land where he had seen Jesus' traditional birthplace. The scene's popularity inspired communities throughout Catholic countries to stage similar pantomimes.

PoinsettiaIt gets its name from John Poinsett, the first US minister (ambassador) to Mexico who brought the plant back to the US in 1832. The plant's use for Christmas decor began in 16th century Mexico, where a young girl, the story says, was too poor to afford gifts for Christmas. The tale She was told by an angel to pick weeds and place them by the altar in church. Crimson "blossoms" sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. From the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico included the plants in their Christmas celebrations. The star shape is said to represent the star of Bethlehem, while the red color represents Jesus’ sacrifice.

Christmas Trees• The evergreen tree represents everlasting life

in Christ. "The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands to symbolize eternal life was a custom of the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. Tree worship was common among the pagan Europeans and survived their conversion to Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of decorating the house and barn with evergreens at the New Year to scare away the devil and of setting up a tree for the birds during Christmastime."

• Alternatively, it is identified with the "tree of paradise" of medieval mystery plays that were given on Christmas Eve. In such plays, a tree decorated with apples (to represent the forbidden fruit in Eden) and wafers (to represent the Eucharist and redemption) was used as a setting for the play. Like the manger, the Paradise tree was later placed in homes. The apples were replaced by round objects such as shiny red balls.

Holly

• The prickles on holly are said to represent the crown of thorns of Christ, while the berries represent drops of His blood.

Candy Canes• In 1670, it is believed that a

choirmaster in Cologne, Germany wanted to keep his young charges quiet, so he had a local candy maker create a treat for them to keep busy. He asked them to make it shaped as a shepherd’s crook since Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The white represents Jesus’ sinless purity, while the red represents his sacrifice.

Red and GreenBack in the 1300's Adam and Eve's Day was celebrated on Christmas Eve. Churches in those days presented a lot of plays because most people were illiterate. The plays were focused on religious stories of importance to the church and were called miracle plays. On Adam and Eve's Day the play was called the paradise play and portrayed what happened in the Garden of Eden. There wasn't an apple tree available in the winter so they made one by tying apples to a pine tree and it served as the tree that bore the forbidden fruit. This pine tree with the red apples eventually became a tradition in all churches and was used in their Christmas celebrations every year.

So, green and red became the symbols of Christmas day as well.

Santa ClausOr, Saint Nicholas, was a Greek bishop in 4th century who had a reputation for giving secret gifts. One story tells of him helping a poor man with 3 daughters for whom he had no dowry so they could marry and avoid a life of poverty and sin. Nicholas is said to have thrown bags of money into the man’s house so the girls would be able to marry.

Gifting Giving

• Some believe it is traced back to Saint Nicholas’ gift-giving.

• Others trace it to the gifts given by the Magi to the baby Jesus.

Stockings

• Some legends around Saint Nicholas say that he left gifts for children in the socks left on the clotheslines at night. So we relive that on Christmas by putting stockings out.